Registration Open for November Strategic Planning Conference

Register now to attend USMEF’s annual Strategic Planning Conference, Nov. 6-8, at the Westin in Long Beach, California.

The USMEF Strategic Planning Conference is a unique opportunity to meet your peers in the international meat trade, get to know USMEF staff from Denver and our international offices and to learn a great deal about market conditions around the world. Register by Oct. 12 to receive the discounted rate!

The meeting agenda is full of timely and informative information. Below are a just a few highlights.

President Trump’s Trade Policy and the Midterm Elections: The current trade situation has many people asking, “What Now?” This session will feature a dynamic discussion on the implications of the current political and trade environment for U.S. red meat exports. President Trump’s trade strategy and what is at stake for U.S. agriculture will be examined. Dave Juday, senior analyst at World Perspectives, will look at how trade-related issues could play out in the next Congress, as early election results will start to come in during this session.

Labor, Logistics & Trade: Hear from beef and pork industry representatives on how the labor shortage, trucking and transportation capacity is affecting, and will continue to affect, red meat exports. Recent expansion of plant capacity has contributed to the widespread labor shortage; and lack of available trucking capacity and shipping containers, as well as other logistical challenges, have increased the difficulty of transporting products through the export supply chain (plants-cold storage facilities-ultimate international destination). The panel will address how these issues affect red meat exporters’ current operations and future expansion decisions and discuss how current government policy may impact the industry. The ramifications to livestock producers and others in the red meat supply chain will also be explored.

Port of Long Beach tour: A 90-minute narrated excursion that will give you an up-close look at the operations of the second-busiest port in the nation. See towering cranes, the most advanced and greenest terminal in the world, new infrastructure projects such as the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement, and possibly even catch a glimpse of local marine life. Learn about the variety of groundbreaking programs the port has implemented to reduce the environmental impact of its operations.

The hotel is in the midst of a foot-friendly downtown, encircled by hundreds of dining and entertaining choices. You can experience the best of Southern California with its proximity to the beach and famous attractions such as the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary, Pike Shopping Center and Rainbow Harbor.